I wouldn't want to hide the truth that I see in Scripture, so I thought it was interesting that, though James 2 obviously isn't talking about this, the concept
does seem to exist in Scripture. I like to challenge myself, so, though I know it could be used as "ammunition" against my views, I thought it would be interesting to see what happened if I shared it. "
He who waters others will himself be watered"--maybe by helping others, I, myself, will be helped, will be given more understanding.
John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
John 10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The religious Jews were offended that salvation suddenly became so easy without works, and that their religious traditions were no longer useful at determining who could be counted “righteous” and who was not.
To the religious Jews the death of the
Messiah was a sign of weakness, not a
sign of power. Yet, to us which are saved
it is the power of God and the wisdom of
God (1 Cor 1:24).
It is only through the preaching of the
cross that our works are removed from
salvation so that no flesh should glory in
his presence (1 Cor 1:29).
Instead of the glory being in us, the
glory is firmly placed in Lord Jesus Christ
alone, and what he was made for us by
Without the Cross the Gospel is Vain
The preaching of the cross is the power
of the gospel of the grace of God.
By the cross of Christ God is able to
take wicked, sinful, enemies and offer
them free justification through faith (Rom
3:24, 5:1).
By the preaching of the cross we are delivered from the bondage of the law (Col
2:14, Gal 5:11)
Through the blood of Christ’s cross we
are reconciled to God and have peace
with him (Col 1:20, Rom 5:1, 2 Cor 5:19).
We receive forgiveness and redemption
by the blood shed there (Eph 1:7).
The preaching of the cross procures
eternal life to all who would trust solely
in its atoning work (Eph 1:13).
The preaching of the gospel would be
vain without the preaching of the cross (1
Cor 15:14). It is for this reason that the
preaching of the cross is foolishness to
those who perish.
The one who we call Saviour was crucified. There is no glory to man on earth to
be crucified.
Replacing religious works, the law, special days, and baptism with the cross requires a complete faith that Christ did
everything necessary for salvation and is
offering it all graciously to those who
work not (Rom 4:5).
It is foolish to the world not to offer
their works to God. It is foolish to the
world to claim that one young man dead
on a cross is the answer to the world’s
problems.
To the religious Jews the death of the
Messiah was a sign of weakness, not a
sign of power. Yet, to us which are saved
it is the power of God and the wisdom of
God (1 Cor 1:24).
It is only through the preaching of the
cross that our works are removed from
salvation so that no flesh should glory in
his presence (1 Cor 1:29).
Instead of the glory being in us, the
glory is firmly placed in Lord Jesus Christ
alone, and what he was made for us by.
I know you want to "hone" in on dead or vain faith in John 2-many followed Messiah for the bread and the fish-but many also had faith in Messiah-for He came unto His own [the Jews] and they did not welcome Him.